793.94/5734: Telegram
The Chargé in Great Britain (Atherton) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 10—3:35 p.m.]
6. With reference to Peiping reports that the question of mediation by the powers, with the object of localizing the Shanhaikwan affair, has been discussed by the American, French, Italian and British Legations, following are two concluding paragraphs of memorandum handed to me at the Foreign Office today:
“His Majesty’s Government believe that the Japanese Government are already desirous of minimizing the Shanhaikwan affair and of avoiding any further military operations at present. On the Chinese [Page 45] side an indication of possible readiness to come to a local agreement is afforded by the desire shown by the Chinese General Ho to meet the Japanese military or naval authorities on neutral ground on board His Majesty’s Ship Folkestone now at Chinwangtao. Chances therefore seem to exist of an agreement to localize the trouble being reached without outside intervention, and His Majesty’s Ambassador in Tokyo believes that such an agreement is more likely to be reached without such intervention. If it cannot be reached in this manner, it will probably be owing to fundamental difficulties which could only be removed by advising the Chinese to remove their troops to a distance from Jehol.
In the circumstances His Majesty’s Government are disposed to take no action in the sense contemplated by the representatives in Peiping, but to await the meeting of the Committee of Nineteen at Geneva next week by whom the question of mediation can if necessary be considered”.